HYDRANGEA arborescens
            'ANNABELLE'


  'ANNABELLE'

'Annabelle' bloom head
Annabelle is a stunning white hydrangea, often producing heads over 10" in diameter. Unlike the better known blue and pink hydrangeas (macrophyllas), Annabelle blooms every year even after severe pruning or intensely cold winters. The huge, white "drumstick" blooms appear in profusion without fail.

Some people plant 'Annabelle' as a hedge since it can be cut back severely in the winter for a tidy effect. The picture below was taken at the home of Penny McHenry in Atlanta. Penny is the founder of the American Hydrangea Society.

Hedge of Annabelle at Penny McHenry's in Atlanta
'Annabelle' makes a spectacular show in colder regions as well as very warm ones. I've had reports that it is hardy even into Zones 2 and 3 in the United States (authorities say to Zone 3). Forms of H. arborescens are actually native to eastern parts of the United States. If your climate is too harsh to grow macrophyllas, 'Annabelle' would make a wonderful alternative.

While I do not sell hydrangeas, you can purchase Annabelle Hydrangeas here.

WHERE TO PLANT ANNABELLE

Annabelle is very versatile. Like most other hydrangeas, it prefers morning sun and afternoon shade or dappled shade all day. Although some books say it does better in heavy shade than other hydrangeas do, I have not found this to be the case. The more morning sun it gets the better it blooms. The blooms will not last as long if they are exposed regularly to hot afternoon sun, but it will not kill the shrub.


SUPPORTING
ANNABELLE'S HEAVY, DROOPY BLOOM HEADS


Everyone who grows this beautiful hydrangea is aware of a very important challenge. The blooms on Annabelle are so large that they tend to bend to the ground after a rain. This can become a problem so severe that the entire shrub is flattened.

Here are a few tricks one can use to reduce and even eliminate the problem:

  1. Plant at least three Annabelle shrubs together - three to four feet apart. As they mature they will support one another somewhat.

  2. Prune plants only sparingly (18"-24" tall after pruning). This will allow the stems to thicken a little each year, becoming stouter and better able to support the other branches and blooms. In addition, without much pruning, the heads will be more plentiful but slightly smaller (not so small that you will be disappointed). The slightly smaller heads will be less likely to droop. If you live in a more northern area, the Annabelle stems may not survive the winter and thus will be new from the ground each year.

    (Go to Pruning: Method 2 for basic pruning techniques)

  3. 'Annabelle driftPut a short wire fence around each plant before it puts out new branches in the spring. Garden centers used to sell short (18"), green wire fencing for lining flower beds. I cut these into lengths that would encircle the base of the Annabelle (sort of like a short tomato cage). Then when the Annabelle leafs out, the wire is completely hidden. The shrubs of 'Annabelle' pictured to the right are each surrounded by fencing and the plants have been pruned sparingly during the winter.



ALWAYS PURCHASE ANNABELLE WHILE IT IS IN BLOOM


Wild vs True Annabelle

WILD vs TRUE ANNABELLLE

I often hear from gardeners whose Annabelle blooms will not fully develop. They report that the blooms are a flat, lacecap type bloom, which is not typical of 'Annabelle'. Sometimes these blooms are described as "fuzzy." I believe that these hydrangeas that were supposed to be 'Annabelle' are really a wild type arborescens. Some of these hydrangeas are quite beautiful in their own way, but they are usually not what the gardener had in mind. This is the reason for purchasing Annabelle (or any hydrangea for that matter) while it is blooming.



HYDRANGEA ARBORESCENS
'Invincibelle™  Spirit'

Image: Spring Meadow Nursery


'Invincibelle Spirit' is the culmination of years of experimentation and hundreds (maybe thousands)of horticultural trials. It is the first pink Hydrangea arborescens to be made available to the public. Find out more about this amazing hydrangea at: 'Invincibelle Spirit.

OTHER LINKS RELATED TO ANNABELLE ON THIS SITE
Annabelle blooms'Annabelle drift
'Annabelle florets close-upLarge Annabelle bloom and ferns
NOTE: For specific questions, check out the FAQs on this site.
Some pages may be reached only through the FAQs.